How the courses work
From your first message to your certification in six steps. This applies to every course under IDF standards.
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Enquiry and prerequisites
You tell me which course you're interested in, your highest certification and roughly how many dives you have. We check the prerequisites together and set dates and location. Equivalent certifications from other agencies are accepted.
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Medical fitness
Before the course you complete the IDF medical statement. A diving medical is recommended and becomes mandatory if the statement raises any doubts.
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Theory
You receive the IDF manual as an e-book or in print. It covers the key points compactly and we go deeper in class. Alternatively you learn via e-learning in the IDF Student Panel. The goal is for you to understand what happens on a dive, not just repeat procedures.
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Dives
In the water I look after no more than 3 students at a time, 4 for twinset and sidemount. Every skill is supervised and assessed directly, and rescue and self-rescue drills are part of every course. Dives take place between sunrise and sunset, at sites where I can keep everyone in view at all times. In Swiss lakes, 5 m of visibility is often plenty. You log every dive the same day.
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Online exam
To finish, you take the theory exam online in the IDF Student Panel.
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Certification
You receive your IDF certification digitally in the IDF app (Android and iOS), and as a plastic card if you like. The app also holds your digital logbook.
About IDF
The International Diving Federation (IDF) is a European diver training agency that originated in Poland, founded in 2015. It was created in response to a diving industry where individually tailored courses, rescue drills and up-to-date training materials were becoming rare.
Its motto is "Safety First!" and its mission is to support instructors and care for divers. IDF trains from junior and open water divers through tec, CCR and cave to instructor level, with additional programmes for adaptive diving, public safety and freediving.
The course details on this page follow IDF standards. Every course is also available under SDI/TDI standards, where prerequisites and scope may differ.
Rescue at every level
Every course, from Open Water up, includes rescue and self-rescue drills. Rescue is not left to a single Rescue course that many divers never take.
More dives, thorough planning
IDF courses include a higher than average number of dives, with a strong emphasis on thorough dive planning.
Understanding, not copying
Solid theory and up-to-date materials: the goal is aware divers who understand what happens underwater rather than just repeating procedures.
No shortcuts
IDF rejects zero-to-hero programmes. Technical training starts only after solid foundations from Master Fundamentals or Master Deep Diver.
Learning from accidents
Accidents are analysed openly instead of being swept under the rug, including human factors.
Tailored courses
IDF instructors are independent and not tied to a dive centre. The standards set binding minimum requirements; beyond that, I can tailor every course to you.
Rebreathers to ISO
The CCR standards are based on ISO 24805, ISO 24806 and ISO 24807, with clear limits for PO₂, gas density, END and bailout volumes. IDF is also the training agency for the S7.
Digital
E-learning and online exams in the Student Panel, manuals as e-books, certifications and logbook in the IDF app for Android and iOS.